Prophecy Girl
by Azurite
Summary: Téa has a strange dream that leads her to Domino City Museum. Isis tells her that her destiny is intertwined with the Pharaoh's... and the Priests. [ST, Ch2!]
1. Destiny

**Prophecy Girl  
Yet Another Yu-Gi-Oh Fic  
By: Azurite - azurite@fanfiction.net**

**Yadda yadda:** Yeah, I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. I spend time that I should be cleaning my room or planning for college working on fanfiction. But for some bizarre reason, I love it. *THAT* is my payment, and it's enough for me. Kazuki Takahashi has my utmost respect.

**Blah Blah:** "Why is Az posting so many fics at once?" I know I have UF Syndrome -- Unfinished Fic syndrome, that is-- and I tend to write the beginnings to a lot of fics without finishing them. But every writer has their own... style, or whatever, and mine is to get as many ideas out at once. I honestly think that if I get stuck on one fic or fandom, I'll lose my ability to write it with the same fluidity that I did when I started. I'm not, by any means, giving up on WDKY or TJOY; I'm away from my home computer... and my betas! *waves to Witchling and Atlantis2* Only my major fics will go through the betas... unless they insist on it being otherwise. ^^; 

'Prophecy Girl' is another Téa-centered fic, this time taking place from the start of Battle City. It has vague connotations with Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Tru Calling, but has no plot from either show.

~*~

Pigeons.

She could hear the flapping of their wings as they passed by her, but her vision was blurred. 

She couldn't see them.

Not clearly, anyway.

There was a mass of color, not far from her... indigo and golden blonde?

_Yugi...?_

Then there was a brilliant change in light-- from the bright daylight of the outside world to a dim, dank hall. The smell of old dust assaulted Téa's senses.

_Where am I?_

And then, the blur disappeared, and she saw it.

The tablet. 

The legend... the inescapable destiny of Seto Kaiba and Yugi Mutou. 

And, standing just beside it, Isis Ishtar.

"You will remember. The fated battle --the duel of destiny-- shall soon begin!" Her voice echoed off the walls of the Domino City Museum, and then everything became blurry, hazy...

Téa woke up in a cold sweat, panting in short breaths.

_What the...?!_

~*~

_What am I doing here?_

Téa stared up at the imposing stone structure that was Domino Museum. The Egyptian Exhibit was slated to be here through the next month or so. Téa was sure that Isis, as the owner of the private collection that Domino City was displaying, would be inside.

But what could she say?

_I had a dream about you telling me that I'd be in some destined duel. I want an explanation._

No matter where Isis was from or what powers she possessed, there was no way she could explain Téa's odd dreams... right?

When she entered the museum, she was surprised to see the reception desk empty. There was no one in the surrounding area, and the lighting was dim. Taking a moment to allow her eyes to adjust, Téa glanced around, wandering deeper into the recesses of the museum... deeper into the restricted area in which the tablet was displayed.

Her gaze running over the various displays --ancient wall fragments, pottery, and jewelry-- Téa was startled when she turned around and saw a lone, hooded figure standing before the tablet from her dreams.

The tablet from her date with Yami... 

From when they'd first met Isis...

Thinking the figure was Isis, Téa approached, and felt her heart leap out of her throat when the person wheeled around right as she arrived in front... of him.

It wasn't Isis. Not at all.

"You!" Téa breathed in shock.

"Me." The man echoed in a flat voice. His brown eyes were narrow, lined beneath the lower lids with Kohl and giving him a distinctly frightening appearance.

Téa's heart was palpitating at a million beats a second regardless --when last she'd encountered the mysterious Shadi, he'd nearly killed her in a puzzle game with Yami. She'd been controlled by him... her very mind and soul rearranged to suit his purposes.

"What are you doing here?" Téa ground out, taking a step back and eying Shadi warily. 

"He is here for the same reason as you, Téa," a voice echoed from the side hall. Téa turned towards the source of the sound; it was Isis, a mysterious smile on her face. In the flickering firelight that lit the massive room, Téa could see the Millennium Necklace gleaming on Isis' neck.

"To make **your** Destiny... a Reality."

~*~

"Wait..." Téa interrupted Isis, setting her cup of tea down. She'd been sitting with Isis and Shadi (though keeping a good distance between her and the silent man) in an office in the Domino Museum. As it turned out, the Museum was closed that day-- and Isis had been expecting Téa, and had known just when she would show up.

"You're saying that *I* have some sort of Destiny in this whole Egyptian mess? Same as Kaiba and Yugi?" 

It didn't make any sense. Yugi she understood-- Yugi had the Puzzle, Yugi was the reincarnation of the Pharaoh, right? 

On their 'date,' Isis had told Yugi that the tablet predicted the future-- that Yugi's destiny was to continue dueling Seto Kaiba, and to remember Yugi's past as Pharaoh.

"Indeed." Shadi intoned, sipping from his own cup. 

"B-But... I... I don't have a Millennium Item. I'm not... I'm not on the tablet, I have no--"

"Don't." Isis interrupted Téa with a raised palm, "Like it or not, your Destiny is intertwined with the Pharaoh's..." Isis paused, the corner of her mouth curling upwards again, "And his Priests."

"Priests? W-What are you talking about? I thought... the only other person involved in Yugi's Destiny was Kaiba, and he..." Téa broke off, putting two and two together. 

Why Seto Kaiba and Yugi always fought...

Why they were bound so deeply, had so much in common, and yet... they always fought.

"He's one of them," Téa realized with a whisper, "Kaiba. He's one of the Priests."

"Yes. A Guardian of the Pharaoh. A wielder of a Millennium Item."

Téa closed her eyes, remembering the tablet in the main hall with distinct clarity. The man who bore a frightening resemblance to Kaiba... the Blue Eyes White Dragon hovering over him in a ferocious display of power.

And in his hand... 

"What item?" Téa asked in a soft whisper. 

"The same item that my traitorous brother now holds," Isis responded, squeezing her eyes shut at the mention of her brother. His betrayal still stung, fresh in her mind... no longer the sibling she knew. 

"The Millennium Rod."

"The blood of the innocent taints its power," Shadi said eerily, "Darkens him, increases his power."

"And his insanity," Isis added. "Ever since our Father died, Marik has... well..." 

"I need your help." The tall Egyptian woman finally said to Téa. "It is not enough that there will be duels... battles of the Gods. Unless someone intervenes, fate will repeat itself. I cannot stop what I am not a part of, Téa. Only you can save them-- save the Pharaoh... save Seto Kaiba."

_Are you **kidding** me!?_


	2. Agreement

**Prophecy Girl  
Part 2: Agreement  
Yet Another Yu-Gi-Oh Fic  
By: Azurite - azuritefanfiction.net**

**Yadda yadda:** Yeah, I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. I spend time that I should be cleaning my room or planning for college working on fanfiction. But for some bizarre reason, I love it. THAT is my payment, and it's enough for me. Kazuki Takahashi has my utmost respect.

**Blah Blah:** "Why is Az posting so many fics at once?" I know I have UF Syndrome -- Unfinished Fic syndrome, that is-- and I tend to write the beginnings to a lot of fics without finishing them. But every writer has their own... style, or whatever, and mine is to get as many ideas out at once. I honestly think that if I get stuck on one fic or fandom, I'll lose my ability to write it with the same fluidity that I did when I started. I'm not, by any means, giving up on WDKY or TJOY; I'm away from my home computer... and my betas! waves to Witchling and Atlantis2 Only my major fics will go through the betas... unless they insist on it being otherwise. ;

'Prophecy Girl' is another Téa-centered fic, this time taking place from the start of Battle City. It has vague connotations with Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Tru Calling, but has no plot from either show.

* * *

"We cannot be sure that she is the one." Shadi said, his eyes riveted to the disappearing form of Téa, as she exited the Domino City Museum and returned home.

Isis, standing beside Shadi, shook her head. "No, I **am** sure. It can be no one else but her."

Shadi glanced at Isis, a single eyebrow raised; nothing else on his face betrayed any emotion.

"The girl of Legend; she who is able to save both the Pharaoh and his Priests?"

Isis fixed Shadi with a fierce gaze, "Yes. For in no other person have I seen that determination... that blue fire... no one other than Her."

Shadi paused a moment, finally turning to face Isis.

"If she is the one... you must tell her of the danger she will face. Of the possibility that she will **not** escape her Destiny, and she will die."

Isis' azure eyes turned icy; her lips narrowed into a thin line.

"I will do no such thing!" She spat, "Destiny **will** change!" And with that, she stalked back into the Domino City Museum, leaving Shadi alone in the night.

"Destiny..." Shadi murmured, his robes swaying in the gentle Tokyo wind, "Hmph."

* * *

Again.

The same dream again.

It wasn't so perplexing this time, Téa realized, for she was acutely aware that she was dreaming... and that she'd had the same dream before.

This time, she didn't see Yugi at all, nor hear the flapping wings of any pigeons.

Rather, she found herself inside the Museum again, the choking smell of ancient dust filling her. She coughed and coughed, coughed until her chest hurt, until her mouth felt dry...

_What?_

It wasn't dust that covered her hand, but...

_Blood!?_

The pain in her chest didn't go away, even after Téa's coughing fit had ceased. When she glanced down to find the source of the intensifying pain, she was startled to see a golden dagger embedded in her chest, a hand just slipping away from its hilt.

"Wh--" Téa began, but found herself unable to speak.

All she could see in the growing darkness were two, piercing blue eyes.

Her thoughts completed the words she couldn't speak aloud, as the black blotted her vision and her body went numb.

_Why...?_

* * *

"Attention Duelists!"

People all around Domino turned to face the sound of the voice. Televisions and radios across Tokyo blared Seto Kaiba's message.

"Today, a tournament like no other begins! Today, duelists can prove their skills in an ultimate test! The rarest and most powerful cards will be pitted against one another, and the champion shall take the title of Duel King! Today, this city will become Battle City!"

Téa Gardner glanced up towards the nearby Tokyo TV Broadcast screen in downtown Domino.

Two nights in a row, she'd had that dream. Téa had visited the Museum late Saturday afternoon, in the hopes of getting answers, but only found herself with more questions.

What was her Destiny? How was her past intertwined with the Pharaoh's... and with Kaiba's?

How could she possibly **save** them, when she had no idea what the threat was?

Sunday morning, Téa had tried to rid her confusing thoughts by going shopping in downtown Domino. But Seto Kaiba's announcement --the start of Battle City-- had her thoughts muddled all over again.

_Those eyes... _Téa found herself thinking, even as her mind drowned out Seto's voice as he detailed the tournament.

They were so familiar, so piercing, and--

_No way! He... he **can't** be!_

But... Isis had said that Kaiba was part of the Pharaoh's Destiny... and so was hers. If her past somehow tied to Kaiba's...

_Was he the one that... that **killed** me?_

There were too many questions, and not enough answers. As much as she hated the thought of seeing Shadi again --of being controlled by any Millennium Item-- she knew she had to return to the Domino Museum, and find Isis and Shadi.

She had to find out what her dreams meant.

And what her Destiny was.

* * *

"You want me to WHAT?!" Téa exclaimed, dropping her tea cup on the floor. The ceramic shattered into a multitude of pieces, scattering all over the cold concrete floor.

"Oh dear," Isis' blue eyes glanced down at the pieces, "That was 10th Dynasty. Neferkare."

Téa's eyes widened, "I-I'm... I didn't mean to-- but what the heck do you mean, 'You have to enter the Battle City tournament!' Are you nuts!?"

Isis fixed Téa with a cool stare, "No, I am not," she paused, contemplating Téa's odd slang, "'nuts.' I am quite serious."

"But I-- I've only dueled twice before in my entire life! Kaiba made that announcement of his, saying only skilled duelists would be allowed entry!"

"That would surely eliminate all competition where Kaiba is concerned, isn't it?" Shadi spoke up, calling attention to his presence in the doorway of the dim room.

"Yes. The only one Kaiba considers to be his true rival is Yugi."

"Because of that ancient duel, right?" Téa murmured softly. "Because of their Destiny written on the tablet."

"Yes." Isis said softly, "A Destiny which..." She trailed off, glancing towards Shadi. He merely stared at Isis, and then averted his gaze entirely.

"Téa, they both died horrible deaths back in Ancient Times. We can't allow that to happen again."

"What? But--"

"You **know** how serious Kaiba can be about dueling, do you not?" Shadi intoned. Immediately, images of Duelist Kingdom --of Seto Kaiba threatening to end his life if Yugi didn't admit defeat-- came to mind.

_I... I was so scared when he did that. When he jumped on the tower ledge, as if... he had nothing left. No hope, nothing else to strive for. I thought then that Mokuba meant that much to him, but maybe... maybe it was never about Mokuba. It was about the duels. Win... or die._

"I originally intended to enter the tournament myself," Isis said, shifting to take a golden box from a nearby end table. She placed the heavily ornamented container on her lap.

"But you came to me. I was unsure if you actually would--"

"But the other night, I thought you said you were expecting me!" Téa interrupted, confusion and suspicion written plain on her face.

"Indeed, I was. But I cannot control one's free will. It was your choice to come here, Téa. Yours and yours alone."

"But... I thought that Millennium Necklace of yours allowed you to see the future."

Isis shook her head ruefully, "Its powers are ancient indeed, but I have not been able to unlock them fully. What it shows me... is a possible future, if present events continue their course. I have seen no change in the future..." Isis's fingers brushed against the cool metal of the necklace; "I wonder if the Necklace still works for me."

"I thought only one person could hold a Millennium Item though. After all," Téa remembered with a grimace, "Anyone that tried to handle Yugi's Millennium Puzzle, or Bakura's Ring ended up..."

Certainly not alive and well!

"It is true that certain people are destined to hold the items at certain times... they contain a measure of darkness that can only be combated by someone with a pure heart." Shadi spoke up, coming up alongside Téa. She stared up at him and then Isis, a combination of fear and confusion on her face.

"But-- your brother!" Téa whispered.

"There are two ways to deal with darkness, Téa. Balance its present with light... or increase the darkness. Marik has done just that, by allowing the powers within the Rod --the blood spilled on it-- to consume him."

"Tell her, Isis." Shadi said simply, "Tell her."

"Tell me what?" Téa asked in sheer confusion, looking from Egyptian to Egyptian, "What am I not being told?"

Isis looked hesitant, her eyes dropping to her lap, where her hands clasped together tightly over the golden box.

"...Many years ago, Marik was initiated into the Tombkeeper's clan with a ritual... a process that... it signifies the difference between normal people and us. The same legend on the tablets was..." Isis winced, "Burned into his skin. I, too, have similar markings... we all do." She glanced towards Shadi, who nodded slowly.

"The process brought out a hatred in Marik like I'd never seen before," Isis murmured, "He wanted nothing more than to be a normal boy in the outside world, but our father would hear nothing of it. He forced Marik to go through with the ritual, and--" Tears threatened to spill from Isis's lashline. So many years had passed, and yet the memory of Marik's screams still echoed fresh in her mind.

"And as vengeance, Marik took the Millennium Rod he was destined to protect and used it to kill his own father." Shadi finished.

Téa went wide-eyed and ashen, "He... murdered his own father?"

Isis nodded slowly.

"Even so, Marik is still one of us. One of the Tombkeepers. We are Guardians of the Pharaoh's tomb, protectors of his legacy-- his Memory."

"His... memory? Why... why doesn't Yugi remember his past? Why was his memory locked away?"

"...Should he remember, his Destiny would inevitably repeat itself..."

Isis glanced up at Shadi, then Téa.

"And he would die."

* * *

So, she had no choice. People had three days to enter qualifying tournaments being held in game stores throughout Domino-- and three more days to battle enough people to gain the six locator cards required to enter the quarterfinals.

And Téa would duel-- with cards rarer than anything anyone in Domino had ever seen before. Cards with such great power, of such legend...

Cards Isis had possessed for years, awaiting that very moment...

She had been hesitant in revealing them to Téa.

_"The contents of this box are not like anything you have ever seen before,"_ Isis had said, opening the heiroglyph-laden container slowly.

_"Wha...?"_ Téa peered over the rim of the box, _"But they're just Duel Monsters cards!"_

Isis flipped one of the cards over, allowing Téa to see the card.

_"Reverse... Worlds?"_

_"It is a powerful trap card that forces your opponent to switch their deck with their graveyard."_

_"...And if someone runs out of cards in their deck, they automatically lose the duel."_

_"Precisely. It is the method I was going to use to defeat Seto Kaiba in the quarterfinals of Battle City. But now... it is yours."_

_"M-Mine? All these rare cards?"_

_"No, not all."_ Shadi spoke up, _"You will find the cards that call to you, that speak to the light in your heart. We will train you-- not just in the art of the Legendary Duels, but controlling your soul. You will become a formidable warrior, and only then will you be able to save the Pharaoh."_

_"..and Kaiba."_ Téa added, mostly for her own self. She was still unsure about the whole thing; Kaiba being such an integral part of Yugi's destiny, of being not just his rival, but his Guardian? It was too confusing, but the only way Téa could get any answers was to go along with Isis and Shadi's plan.

The two Egyptians exchanged a glance, nodding as they brought all the cards out of the box.

_"You cannot go back from this, Téa. From the moment you touch these cards, your soul will be bound to them. And you **will** duel."_

Téa glanced up at Shadi, then Isis, her blue eyes shining like twin sapphires. If she did this... her dreams would make sense. Yugi's past would be revealed. And...

They would be saved.

_"Let's do this."_

* * *

_This is it, girl. This is the time when you prove yourself to be more than some 'simpering, friendship-speech giving spoiled brat'! I'm... I'm going to save them! I'm going to duel! And I'm going to win!_

She couldn't tell them.

Not Yugi, not Joey, not Tristan, not ANYBODY!

...Because it might change things. But she would train-- she would find out about her own shadowed connections to the Pharaoh... and to Seto Kaiba. She would change Destiny... she'd save them.

_Even if it's the last thing I do!_

* * *

**Edits: **I made a few changes here and there-- nothing really big. The one thing you might notice is that the trap card Isis points out is 'Reversed Worlds.' This card is known as 'Exchange of the Spirits' in the dub. In the real TCG, it is 'Reversed Worlds,' but I'm not sure if it goes by 'Exchange of the Spirits' in the Japanese anime, too. Since I'll be using a lot of real TCG cards and their effects, I'll be using their names as well. The only exceptions will be for cards that, in the anime specfically, have an effect that differs [greatly] from that of its TCG counterpart (or don't have a TCG counterpart).

Hope you enjoyed this latest installment-- tell me what you think!

Azurite, 5/18/04


End file.
